This is my first post of 2013 – and I couldn’t be more excited about it. Rather than bore you with all the lame and boring oh so exciting details of what I’ve been up to, I think I’ll get right to point today … besides, I’m already late to pick up my daughter!!! (wish I was kidding about this!)

My awesome grandmother, known affectionately as “MeMaw”, passed away last Spring. She lived 95 beautiful years! I’d guess that she sewed for about 85 of those years.

Anyway, as I went through her closet, I found a few scarves that I thought were worth keeping. Now, they weren’t exactly worth WEARING but they were worth keeping.

See what I mean….

So today, I had about 20 extra minutes (translate: I can be up to 15 minutes late before I get in trouble!), so I ran to my little stash of scarves and grabbed this one.

Then I went to my little stash of embellishments and grabbed a long strand of pom pom fringe. xoxoxoxoxoxo – I LOVE THIS STUFF!

Then, I just simply sewed the pom pom fringe all around the perimeter of the scarf. I used a long and wide ZIG ZAG stitch to be sure I got a good hold of the fringe. This also keeps it from curling up on the edges as I wear and wash it.

I mean, COME ON!!! Isn’t this so cute and sweet now!!! ??? !!!

I just love it. I wish I could just run over to her house, give her big hug, eat some of her homemade wheat rolls, and sneak another scarf out of her closet. For now, I’ll settle for wearing this aLOT and remembering how lucky I am to have had her as my grandmother.

Breakdown:

Time: took me about 7 minutes – I could’ve done it in 5, but that stupid bobbin needed threading halfway through.

Okay. I did it. I broke a cardinal rule of mine. NEVER EVER EVER do a “show” where you have to create inventory. NEVER EVER.

Well. I did.

It was fun. I enjoyed an excuse to cut up fabric that’s been sitting in my armoire. I love playing with glue.

I did NOT, however, get rid of all the inventory. Alas, it is stationed (neatly and packaged) all over my house … just waiting for a rightful owner!

So, here on the 20th of December, I thought there might be some of you out there still needing that last minute gift. Look no further! What you see below is priced DIRT CHEAP and is READY TO SHIP IMMEDIATELY! If you see something(s) you like, email me or contact me via Etsy convo and we’ll go from there!

I have had this project logged in my brain for about 2 months now. I was “visiting” an Anthropologie store back in July during a huge sale. Of course, very few things were yet in my price range, but I really enjoyed browsing around. One of the things I saw on the sale rack was a huge scarf. It was on clearance for about $50 – and it was 110 degrees outside. Even if I had the bucks, there was no way I was walking out of there with a SCARF!

I didn’t take a picture, but I remember that all it was was one very long row of very lightweight fabric with ruffled sides.

Here is what I made as my version of what I remember. (Admittedly, mine is quite a bit bigger – but such is life in Texas!)

Confession 1: This is not your average scarf. Confession 2: This is NOT a scarf for wallflowers!

If you like this little ditty …. read on….here’s how I made it for $5!!!

Start with 2.5 yards of lightweight fabric. Since I live in TX, I chose cotton because wearing scarves is more like playing house here than it is for keeping warm!

Cut 2 identical strips the entire 2.5 yard length of the fabric. I think my strips aer about 5" wide .. but make them however wide or narrow that you want. It's YOUR scarf.

Then, cut 8 identical strips across the crossgrain. To determine length, figure out how long/big you want the ruffle. Double that measurement and add 1" - 1/2" seam allowance on both ends)

Now join those 8 strips into 2 long strips. Meaning, sew 4 strips together twice.

For each of these two long strips, fold wrong sides together and press.

Tuck in a small seam allowance at both ends of the two long strips. Press. Sew ends closed.

Sew a long gathering stitch at the bottom of the long strips. (meaning the side opposite the fold) Gather the ruffles, and pin along one side of the main strip. Be sure to start and end about 1" away from the edge as shown. (to make it easier to end up with a uniform ruffle, I marked the middle to both the main strip and the ruffle strip)

Sew the ruffle to the main strip with about a 1/2" seam allowance. Then, fold up the ruffle and pin the center.

Repeat ruffle, sew, roll steps on other side. You'll end up with this concoction!

Now you're ready to get this scarf rolling! Put your second main strip on top of the "concoction" right sides together.

Pin all the way down to hold the strips and the ruffles in place. Sew down each side using about a 5/8" seam.

Now, very carefully, begin turning right side out. Remember, there are a TON of pins inside that tube - if you pull too fast you'll either stick yourself or rip your fabric. I may or may not have done both!

Now press that little baby ... you're almost done .. you just need to do something with those two ends ...

So tuck them inside the tube..

Press and sew shut.

Press very well ... and you're done!

It's big - but I think it's awesome!

It's just sooooo soft and so confident! I'm seeing this with a beautiful gray cape for winter.

And this much wow factor at your neckline - don't even bother fixing your hair - pull it back and you're done!

So, yeah, like I said – this is not a scarf for the faint of heart. This scarf is powerful. It’s feminine. It is NOT discreet! =)

Of course, you can use the same tutorial and make it quite a bit smaller. But why!?!

Cost: $5~ I got the fabric on clearance at Hancocks for $2/yd. I used 2.5 yards.

Time: the only bad part about this project is that it is not a quick piece. Give yourself anywhere from 1 t0 2 hours. But I don’t think you’ll regret it! Invite some friends over and make them together!!!

Well, I’ve been pretty quiet here on the blog front this week … but not because I’ve wanted to be…my sewing machine has been in the shop! UGH!!! This is a fate worse than root canals and spinal taps combined! It’s been a week and there’s no sign of it coming home any time soon. Please send condolence card STAT!

As you can probably imagine, I’m jonesing for something to do and not particularly inspired to use a glue gun.

Think. Think. Think.

I came up with something that I had no idea I would love so much … Crocheting!

I spend a weekend with my mother and grandmother and strong-armed mom into teaching me how. I thought it would just be a time-passer, but in fact, I’ve become pretty addicted already!

Here's how I started ... not super impressive, but tons of fun!

And here's my first "real" project! It's a bummer that it takes 3 hours to complete a scarf - with sewing it takes about 12 minutes - but hey, we can't zoom through everything!

I can assure you that I’ve got coordinating scarves already in the works. It’s 107 degrees here in Austin today … not exactly scarf weather – but I’m looking ahead to Montreal in October. Surely I can wear this there!

Everyone got in on the lesson - even little rosamund!

Even Owen got in on the action - for about 22 seconds.

So, if you’re hankering for a new project, it really really is easy to begin learning how to Crochet. You can see I have very basic skills but could still create a fun cowl neck scarf. As in Napolean Dynamite, “There’s just so many options!”

Well, I have been and continue to be absorbed in bridesmaids dresses. I just finished up a set of five beautiful plum colored dresses – I can’t wait to see a picture of that wedding!

Anyway, after all that, I decided tonight was the night I dove into my stash of newly acquired designer fabrics – these came as a result of 12 of us going in together to create for me a wholesale account – Oh the joys at our fingertips!

I started with the fabric that I chose – I bought 4 yards of it, but tonight I only used 3 (actually 2.75). In two hours, I was able to pump out an easy chic skirt, a chic dress for Ellie, and another one of the Spring Scarves that I’m so in love with right now. Each of these items was SO easy and fast to make, it really made my night seem so productive. I am SO glad I played hookey from my obligations!

So now what? I have just over a yard left….too bad JAMS aren’t in style! Hey Jonathan…..